Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus resistance to non–β-lactam antimicrobials in the United States from 1996 to 2008

We report the resistance rates of Staphylococcus aureus to non-beta-lactam antimicrobials from The Surveillance Network Database-USA (Eurofins-Medinet, Chantilly, VA). Specimens studied were from lower respiratory tract, wounds, and blood. Patients were stratified by age group and patient setting. There were 2,053,219 isolates of S. aureus and 973,116 of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The MRSA rate increased until 2004 and then leveled off. MRSA showed decreasing resistance to tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX). By age group, the greatest MRSA rate increase was for individuals 17 years and younger. Non-beta-lactam antimicrobials and particularly TMP-SMX should be considered therapeutic options for staphylococcal infections.